Chain-link fence structures typically comprise a plurality of spaced apart fence posts that are imbedded in the ground along a fence line, a top rail fixed to the fence posts, and a chain-link fence fabric attached to and spanning the fence posts and top rail. Consequently, chain-link fences have long lengths of fence fabric extending between spaced apart fence posts. Such suspended fence fabric is free to sway along its bottom edge portion, and over time, the swaying fabric may become distorted and/or raised from its position proximate the ground. In addition to the swaying problem, small domestic and wild animals, such as dogs or rabbits, are able to push their way under such unsupported fence fabric lengths unless a tensioning device or other holder is used to provide rigidity along the bottom edge that prevents or at least limits transverse/vertical movement of the fence fabric material.
Various clips, stakes, and anchor devices have been used in the past to provide such rigidity in wire strand and/or fence fabric materials. These devices have been used mainly in farm applications so that it is more difficult for livestock to break through the fence and escape enclosed pens and pastures. For example, tether/stake combinations have been used to secure wire strand fencing against movement as disclosed in United States patent no. 997,852, to Rinehart. The Rinehart patent discloses a combination stake and single tether connection to hold down a fence wire and prevent the wire from being raised by animals such as hogs. A different type anchor device, comprising a stake without a tether, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,569,341 to Varell. Varell discloses a ground stake having a pair of vertically aligned eyelets that are used to secure wires or ropes in a fence like structure. Another stake anchor device, having a single connection to a wire strand, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,321,824 to Heim. Heim discloses an anchor comprising a bent rod placed over the bottom wire strand in a fence structure. The angled legs, formed by the bent rod, are driven into the ground with a special tool. Each angled leg includes a hook or barbed end that fixes the fence anchor in the ground and thereby limits movement of the bottom wire strand. U.S. Pat. No. 1,007,564 to Hardie discloses a clip or stay fastener comprising a rod and two vertically aligned spaced apart hooks that engage the top and bottom edges of a fence fabric. The distance between the spaced apart hooks is predetermined so that the hooks stretch the fence fabric and prevent fabric sagging. In a modified version of the Hardie device, the rod includes a pointed tip for driving the clip or stay into the ground.
Although such fence fastening devices of the past are somewhat effective in limiting transverse and/or vertical movement in fencing, fasteners of the past use either single point connections or vertically aligned multiple point connections. Such connections are somewhat problematic in that they transfer the full tension load from the anchor stake into the fence fabric and wire strands. This becomes a problem where the tension load is great enough to cause the wire strand or fabric to exceed its elastic limit, in which instance, the fencing material at and near the connection point becomes distorted. To illustrate, referring to U.S. Pat. No. 1,426,044 to Clum, FIG. 1 shows a fence anchor stake driven into the ground and distorting the fence fabric at the single connection point. Such distortion in fence fabric material may be acceptable in farm applications, but it is not acceptable in residential applications where the homeowner is careful to maintain the appearance of his/her fencing.
Additionally, fence anchor devices of the past provide either a tether/stake pin connection, (U.S. Pat. No. 1,268,459 to Hjermstad) where the tether is free to rotate or pivot about the connection, or a tether/stake moment connection (U.S. Pat. No. 1,426,044 to Clum), where the tether is fixed and not able to rotate or pivot about the connection. Pin connections and moment connections are useful under different fence anchoring conditions. For example, although prior anchor stakes are shown imbedded vertically into the ground, along a fence line, such perfect conditions seldom occur in real life. More typically, anchor stakes tend to be driven into the ground outboard of the fence line because it is difficult to place such stakes directly below the fence fabric. And more often than not, the anchor stakes are not driven into the ground vertically because they impact upon stones and other different density materials as the pointed end of the stake penetrates the ground. Consequently, because there is often misalignment between the fence anchor device and the fence fabric, it may be difficult to attach the hook ends of the tethers to selected links in the fence fabric. Pin connections overcome such problems because they are able to rotate or pivot about the tether/stake connection. However, pin connections are problematic in that they enable the fence fabric to sway, and over time, such swaying about pin connections may cause the fence fabric to distort. On the other hand, because tether/stake moment connections are fixed, and no rotation occurs between the tether and stake, it may be more difficult to insert the tether hooks into selected fence fabric links. However, such tether/stake moment connections prevent sway and are thereby desirable because they prevent or reduce fence fabric distortion.